Washington's Shakur Cottman goes up for a shot during a game against Cape Henlopen in last season's Governor's Challenge. / Matthew S. Gunby Photo

Written by

Shawn Yonker

Just Sayin’

SALISBURY — When word came in September that Slam Dunk at the Beach would be rising from the ashes in 2014, the reaction from some on the Shore was predictable, but off base.

Many thought it may spell the end of a decade of growth and evolution for the event known for the last four years as the Governor’s Challenge Tournament held at the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center in Salisbury.

The fear that the Slam Dunk would poach schools from the Salisbury event and the belief that Challenge organizers would be sunk if they didn’t bring in nationally recognized high school teams to compete made the rounds.

But the two events will surely have no trouble coexisting, and the only team the Governor’s Challenge will surely lose next season is Cape Henlopen High School, which will host the Slam Dunk.

“I really doubt there will be any issues with that,” Cape coach Stephen Re said. “The Slam Dunk is just an entirely different animal. They are not trying to compete with the Governor’s Challenge because it is a different kind of tournament.”

Slam Dunk at the Beach is set for Dec. 27-29, 2014, and will now be under the jurisdiction of the Delaware Sports Commission.

The original Slam Dunk at the Beach was founded in 1990 by Robert F. “Bobby” Jacobs, but he abruptly canceled the tournament in November 2004, citing health issues. However, in 2008, he was ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution after pleading no contest to one felony count of misappropriation of property for taking thousands of dollars from the tournament fund.

During its 14-year run, the Slam Dunk brought high school players to the Cape Henlopen region who have developed into NBA stars, including Dwight Howard in 2003, LeBron James and J.J. Redick in 2001 and Carmelo Anthony in 2000.

Upper echelon teams from around the country were drawn to the holiday event for the competition, the location and, in some cases, the money.

That will surely be the case moving forward as well, and that’s part of the reason why the two tournaments can easily coexist.

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Veteran Wicomico High School coach Butch Waller is widely considered the godfather of the Salisbury Holiday event, which dates all the way back to its previous life as the Lions Club Classic. He knows the Challenge’s bread and butter is its regional nature.

The event is almost as well-known on the western shore as it is here, with many teams from the D.C. and Baltimore area making repeat trips to compete. But that is where the geography stops, and will for the foreseeable future.

“Some of you may wonder why we aren’t getting the real big teams,” Waller said. “Why not the top teams (in the nation) from Oregon, Texas and Kentucky? They want you to pay them, and when I say pay them, you have to fly them in, give them room and board. There is just carte blanche. That is how they go to some of these big Nike and Under Armour sponsored tournaments.”

The Delaware vs. Maryland portion of the event also lends to its regional nature.

And besides the fact that Delaware has won each of the three years of the Challenge, it has been very competitive and beneficial to all sides.

“I think the tournament history is a good thing for Delaware and Maryland,” Seaford coach Art Doakes said. “Bridging the two states together, two different styles of basketball.”

And Re has no less appreciation for the Governor’s Challenge now that his team will be competing in a different tournament in 2014. He’s had respect for the event ever since his days at Mardela High School. It’s just that Slam Dunk will be on his home court. What better way to spend the holidays?

“For us, the Slam Dunk will be the same,” Re said. “I look at the two teams that we’ll see in (the Challenge this year) like what we will see next year. We won’t be in the top bracket. We’ll be able to play some similarly talented teams that are regional rather than local.”

And that’s the difference. Slam Dunk will bring in teams from more than just Maryland, Delaware, D.C. and Virginia. That’s what they do, and that’s why there is no threat.

As cantankerous as his take on the competition may sound, Waller has it right.

“Even though the Slam Dunk is coming in Delaware, that is fine,” he said. “Listen, I have been invited to Slam Dunk twice and turned it down. I don’t want to go up there and play a local school at 8 o’clock in the morning. “Nothing against the Slam Dunk — I think it is awesome, but there is enough room for this tournament, and it is going to get better.”